The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. As we all expected, it was a thrilling and unpredictable event. Whether for the NFL in general or for fantasy football purposes, here are the biggest winners and losers from Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft – Round 1 Winners
1) Houston Texans:
The Texans made a huge splash in the first round by selecting Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud with the second overall pick. Stroud is a talented signal caller who amassed 8,123 passing yards, 85 touchdowns, and only 12 interceptions as a two-year starter at Ohio State. With Deshaun Watson gone, Stroud is poised to be the new face of the franchise.
Shortly after drafting Stroud, the Texans made a bold move to trade up and secure Alabama standout linebacker Will Anderson Jr. As expected, the Texans gave up a lot in the trade, including the 12th overall pick, the 33rd overall pick, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2024 third-round pick. Now, they have two cornerstone pieces for their offense and defense.
2) Philadelphia Eagles:
Philadelphia had a stellar first round in this year’s NFL Draft. They made a pick swap with the Chicago Bears and added a 2024 4th-round pick to secure Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter with the ninth overall pick. Additionally, the Eagles then surprised many by selecting Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith with the 30th overall pick. Smith was often mocked to go inside the top 10, so getting him at the end of the first round was a steal.
With these two picks, the Eagles have four members of the legendary 2021 Georgia Bulldog defense. With this group, they should have a formidable defense for years to come.
3) Arizona Cardinals:
The Cardinals made a brilliant move by trading down with the Texans. By doing so, they gained a valuable 2024 first-round pick in the process and then traded up to get the player they wanted all along. Overall, they only gave up only a second-round pick to move up to the sixth overall pick. There, they selected Ohio State’s former left tackle, Paris Johnson Jr. Now, the former Buckeye should be able to protect Kyler Murray’s blind side for years to come.
At the time of writing this article, the Arizona Cardinals are the betting favorites for both the 1st and 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft – Round 1 Losers
1) Detroit Lions:
One of the most confusing picks in the first round was made by the Detroit Lions. Despite their talented tunning back room, Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick, and Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with the 18th overall pick. While both players are talented, neither was projected to go in the first round, and the Lions had other pressing needs. The situation with David Montgomery, D’Andre Swift, and now Gibbs, will be tough to predict in fantasy football this year. Unless Swift gets traded.
On the other side of the ball, the biggest need for the Lions was at cornerback. Unfortunately, they failed to select one in the first round despite having several talented corners on the board. It remains to be seen if taking a running back and stand-up linebacker in the first round will pay off. But for now, their first-round picks are a bit puzzling.
2) Jordan Love:
The Green Bay Packers did little to help their young quarterback Jordan Love in the first round. They opted to select Iowa edge defender Lukas Van Ness with the 13th overall pick, leaving Love without any new weapons to work with.
For now, the Packers’ wide receiver room is currently thin, featuring Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. Additionally, they have a massive hole at tight end as well. With several talented wideouts and tight ends still available, the Packers’ decision not to select one in the first round is puzzling and potentially damaging to Love’s development.
3) Will Levis:
Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was rumored to be a top-five pick in the weeks leading up to the draft. Clearly, the NFL was not as high on him as some experts and fans expected. Levis watched from the green room as each team passed on him in the first round, leaving millions and millions of dollars on the table. While he may still be selected in later rounds, the fact that no team took a chance on him in the first round is telling.
For the latest free agent news, check out the Fantasy Football News Tracker.
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